Welcome Creek is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Welcome Creek had a population of 421 people.[1]

Welcome Creek
Queensland
Welcome Creek is located in Queensland
Welcome Creek
Welcome Creek
Coordinates24°46′20″S 152°15′41″E / 24.7722°S 152.2613°E / -24.7722; 152.2613 (Welcome Creek (centre of locality))
Population421 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density9.034/km2 (23.40/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4670
Area46.6 km2 (18.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Bundaberg Region
State electorate(s)Burnett
Federal division(s)Flynn
Suburbs around Welcome Creek:
Moorland Moore Park Beach Moore Park Beach
Moorland Welcome Creek Fairymead
Meadowvale Meadowvale Gooburrum

Geography

edit

The locality takes its name from the watercourse (24°46′00″S 152°18′00″E / 24.7666°S 152.3°E / -24.7666; 152.3 (Welcome Creek)).[3]

North Gooburrum is a neighbourhood in the north-west of the locality (24°45′55″S 152°15′04″E / 24.7653°S 152.2510°E / -24.7653; 152.2510 (North Gooburrum (neighbourhood))).[4][5]

The land use is agricultural, predominantly irrigated horticulture with some sugarcane plantations in the east of the locality and some grazing on native vegetation in the north of the locality.[5]

History

edit

Welcome Creek State School opened on 21 May 1931 and closed on 31 December 2003.[6][7] After closure, the students were transferred to Moore Park State School in neighbouring Moore Park Beach.[6] The school was located at 669 Moore Park Road (24°46′11″S 152°16′45″E / 24.7697°S 152.2792°E / -24.7697; 152.2792 (Welcome Creek State School (former))).[8][9][5]

Agnew School opened on 3 February 2003 in Boundary Street, South Bundaberg, one of several Agnew Schools operated by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (sometimes called the Exclusive Brethren) in Queensland. By 2006 the school needed more space and in mid-2006 the church purchased the former Welcome School State School from the Queensland Government and relocated the Agnew School to that site (24°46′12″S 152°16′45″E / 24.7699°S 152.2792°E / -24.7699; 152.2792 (Agnew School (former Bundaberg campus))).[10] However, in 2014 with student numbers at 30-40 students, it was decided to close the school and transport the students by wifi-equipped bus each day to the Agnew School in Maryborough.[6][11] On 24 December 2020, the site was sold for $925,000.[12]

Demographics

edit

In the 2016 census, Welcome Creek had a population of 445 people.[13]

In the 2021 census, Welcome Creek had a population of 421 people.[1]

Education

edit

There are no schools in Welcome Creek. The nearest government primary schools are Moore Park State School in neighbouring Moore Park Beach to the north and Gooburrum State School in neighbouring Gooburrum to the south-east. The nearest government secondary school is Bundaberg North State High School in Bundaberg North to the south-east.[5]

Amenities

edit

Welcome Creek Hall is at 687 Moore Park Road (24°46′16″S 152°16′47″E / 24.7712°S 152.2796°E / -24.7712; 152.2796 (Welcome Creek Hall)).[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Welcome Creek (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Welcome Creek – locality in Bundaberg Region (entry 44809)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Welcome Creek – watercourse in Bundaberg Regional (entry 36929)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. ^ "North Gooburrum – locality unbounded in Bundaberg Regional (entry 40678)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  7. ^ "Queensland state school - centre closures" (PDF). Queensland Government. 20 August 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Bundaberg" (Map). Queensland Government. 1943. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  9. ^ "9348-24 Bundaberg" (Map). Queensland Government. 1987. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  10. ^ "9348-24 Bundaberg" (Map). Queensland Government. 2009. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Exclusive Brethren school closes at Welcome Creek". Bundaberg News Mail. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  12. ^ "669 Moore Park Road, Welcome Creek QLD 4670". Commercial Real Estate. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Welcome Creek (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.